Trap



Deg. 2, 1930. M. J. PETERSEN 1,733,670

TRAP

Filed Sept. 23. 1929 @A? Z Y gave/tom M J: Pelerae/rg lithe jaws open.

7' "showing the jaw'sfreleased and-moved to a i f Figure Gjis' a-pers W 35 forming-part of the trap; J a V --Th's"impr'oved trapjis adapted to be sus pended {from an 7 overhead support such as the limb, of *ajtree although it may be placed Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED "STATES P ATE NT OFFICE MARTIN mrnrnnsnn, or CANYON, MINNESOTA I TRAP 2 imme-am filed September 23, 1929. Serial to. 394,561.

This invention relates" to fishing and trapping and more particularly to a' trap of the type in which a portion of an 'animal'will be gripped betwee'n'jaws ofthe trap.

trap-of the spring jaw typefso constructed "that it maybe suspended from a tree or "other overhead sup'portwhere it willbe out of reach of small animalsand also'prevented from becomlng inoperative d-uef tosnowor frozengrouiid.

vide the trap with improved jaws and also I with improved means for releasably holding I Another object of the invention to prov-ide atra p which is very 'eflicient in operation and, at thesame time, simple in construction.

7 The invention is'ill-ustrated" in the accom-" zepanymgdrawing, wherein:- L

Figure 11 is a view in elevation showing the trap with the jaws'open',

FigureZ is view looking fromone side of Fig ure 3 is a viewsimilar to Figure -1,

closed position.

Figure 45 is a view similarto Figure' '2,"

filooking aton side of Figure *3.

:1; Figure 5 isga perspective vi'ew of a V frag ment ofone arm of the body portion ofthe:

trap andillustrating the manner in which '2 -bearingsf-forthe jaws, are formed Y upon the ground ifs'o desired, and includes "F3740 a body' portion 1 'fgrmed'ofm'etal and curved longitudin'ally in order to provideside arms Y 2 which are spaced from each other. A chain 3 is providedby means of which the trap may be suspended from atree limb" and at one end'of the chain isprovided aswivel ifrom which extends branch chains'h secured to the a body in spaced relation to the ends of the pective viewof the keeperends rolled to form bearings 7 The 8 and 9 which areformed ofstrongmetal, are

curved longitudinallyand at their ends are bent to form pintles 10and 11 which extend i 5 One object ofcthe invention isto provide a through the bearings and have their outer ends bent as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawing, so that the pintles will be prevented from. moving out of the bearings a'ndthe jaws pivotally mounted for swinging movement from the cljosed position shown in 7 V I Figures 3 and to the openposition shown in j Another object ofthe invention is to pro- Figures 1 and 2. -Fromj an inspection of Figures 1 and 2, itwill be seen that when the trap is suspendedfrom atree limb, the

suflicient size'can easily reachath'ebait and; when the jaws are-released they may swing' downwardly and-grip the animal aboutflits heador-neclr. I

Inorder toreleasably secure the jaws in an '70 4 open or set position, there has beenprovided j a latch 12 which is pivotally mounted-upon the jaw 9' in p'osit ion'to extend from one side thereof and the'jayir "8 carries keeper 13 which 7 also projects transversely andhas its qfreeend bent to form 'alip 1 1- for' engagement in the notch or seat 15 ofthelatch. A

stem l6having a 'head17 at'its free end'is carried by the'bodyl between thear'ms'fZ and upon this stem is loosely mounted a trigger 18. 1 The trigger terminates in an abutment tongue l9'andto the triggerat the opposite side thereof from the abutment is secured a "bait. carrier 20' which'is twisted sothat it 7 ,maybe thrust into the baitwith a tWiSting v 'motion'and the bait prevented" from being easilyrernoved from the bait'holder. Therefora-an animal cannot secure the bait without moving the trigger. Thelatch 12 extends across the trigger-between the bait holder and the'lip 19 when the jaws are secured in an openposition and when the bait holder and trigger are pull'eddownwardly by an animal attempting to" eat the bait, the trigger will exert pressure against the latch and cause'j it to be movedout of engagement with the lip 14 of the keeper 13; Therefore; the jaws will" be released and allowed to moveto a close dposition and grip the head or foot'ofan animal. Thetongue 19 formed at theend of the trigger prevents it from moving out of operative relation to the latch. It should be noted that the lip 14 increases in depth toward one side so that by shifting the latch transversely its free end may be engaged with a deep or shallow side portion of the lip. By this arrangement the extent of pull necessary to release the latch from the keeper can be controlled. V

In order to normally retain the jaws closed and cause them to return to a closed position when the latch is released, there has been provided coil springs 21 which are coiled about the bearings and engage withthetwo jaws at opposite sides of the trap. Referring to Figure 2 and 4, it will be seen that each spring consists of a strand of resilient wire which is coiled about a bearing and formed with inner and outer coils engaged with hooks 22 and 23 projecting from the side arms of the 7 body. The ends of the strands are bent to form hooks 24 which engage the jaws and it will be understood that when the jaws are swung to an open position the springs will be tensioned and when the latch is released the springs will cause thejaws to be snapped shut and firmly grip the head or neck of an animal between them. Plates 25 are provided between the bearings 7 and project inwardly to extend between the jaws and limit their movement in a closing direction. I have, therefore, provided a trap of the spring jaw type which may be suspended in an elevated position out of the reach of small animals and which will be very effective in catching an animal of the proper size.

What is claimed is: j

1. A trap comprising a body, jaws pivoted to said body and movable from a closed to an open position, a latch to releasably'secure the jaws opened, a keeper having a flange for engagement by said latch increasing in depth toward one side, a trigger to move the latch to a releasing position including a bait holder,

means-to close the jaws when released, and means to suspend the body from a support with the aws extending downwardly therefrom. I

2. A trap comprising a body, a-trigger'ca'rried by said body, jaws pivoted to said body and movable toward the body from a closed to an open positionwith the trigger between them 'whenopened, a bait holder carried by said trigger and projecting therefrom between the jaws, a latch and cooperating keeper to releasably hold the jaws open, each latch being moved out-of engagement with the keeper by the trigger to release the jaws when the trigger is moved downwardly, means to close the jaws when released, and means to support the body in an elevated position with thejaws beneaththe'same.

3. Atrap comprising a body having extended side portions, a trigger Jlooselycarrie'dby'said bodyintermedi-ate its sides, jaws pivoted to the sides of said body and when opened extending toward the body at opposite sides of the trigger, a keeper carried by one jaw, a latch carried by the other aw and extending across said trigger to engage said keeper when the jaws are open, a bait holder carried by said trigger and when moved adapted to shift thetrigger into position to engage the latch and release the same from the keeper, and means to move the jaws to a closed position when released.

4. A trap comprising a body having extended side portions, a trigger loosely carried by said body intermediate its sides, jaws pivoted to the sides of said body and when opened extending toward the body at oppo site sides of the trigger, a keeper extending from a side of one jaw, a latch pivoted to arms, bearings at the ends of said arms, jaws between said arms'pivoted at theirends in thebea-rings and movable. toward the body from ,a closed to anopen position, a trigger loosely connected with the body between said arms and disposed between the'jaws when opened, a bait holder extending from said trigger, means to releasably secure the jaws open moved to release the jaws by said trigger, and means to close the jaws when released. f

6. A traprcomprising a body having-side arms, bearings at the ends ofsaid arms, aws between said arms pivoted at their'ends in the bearings and movable toward the body from a closed to an open position, a stem carried by said body between the arms, a trigger loosely mounted upon the stem and havloosely connected withthe body between said armsland disposed between the jaws when opened, a bait holder extending from said trigger, means to releasably secure the jaws open moved .to release the jaws by vsaid trig- ;ger, springs disposedabout said bearings ger, springs coiled about said bearings and and engaged with the jaws to close the jaws, and means to support the body.

8. A trap comprising. a body having side arms, bearings at the ends of said arms, jaws between said armspivoted at their ends in the bearings and movable toward the body from a closed to an open position, a trigger loosely connected with the body between said arms and disposed between the jaws when opened, a bait holder extending from said trigger, means to releasably secure the jaws open moved to release the jaws by said trigengaged with the jaws to close the jaws, strips carried by said bearings and extending there- 'from between the'jaws to limit movement of the jaws in a closing direction, and means to suspend said body from a support with the jaws beneath the body.

Intestimony whereof I aifix my signature. MARTIN J. PETERSEN. [1. s.] 

